Inventing Temperature: Measurement and Scientific ProgressOxford University Press, 2004 M08 5 - 304 pages What is temperature, and how can we measure it correctly? These may seem like simple questions, but the most renowned scientists struggled with them throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. In Inventing Temperature, Chang examines how scientists first created thermometers; how they measured temperature beyond the reach of standard thermometers; and how they managed to assess the reliability and accuracy of these instruments without a circular reliance on the instruments themselves. In a discussion that brings together the history of science with the philosophy of science, Chang presents the simple eet challenging epistemic and technical questions about these instruments, and the complex web of abstract philosophical issues surrounding them. Chang's book shows that many items of knowledge that we take for granted now are in fact spectacular achievements, obtained only after a great deal of innovative thinking, painstaking experiments, bold conjectures, and controversy. Lurking behind these achievements are some very important philosophical questions about how and when people accept the authority of science. |
Contents
Spirit Air and Quicksilver | |
To Go Beyond | |
Theory Measurement and Absolute Temperature | |
Measurement Justification and Scientific Progress | |
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Common terms and phrases
absolute temperature abstract actual air thermometer Aitken alcohol thermometer Amontons amount of heat assumption boiling point Bridgman caloric theory Carnot cycle Cavendish chapter coherentism cold comparability complementary science concept of temperature concrete cooling correct definition discussion domain empirical empiricism epistemic iteration epistemic virtues expansion experimental experiments Fahrenheit fixed points fixity free caloric freezing point gas thermometers gases Guyton heat engine idea ideal gas initial instrument Irvinist Joule JouleThomson justification Laplace latent heat liquid Luc’s meaning measurement mechanical melting point mercury thermometer method of mixtures molecules numerical observations ontological principles operationalization operations phenomena philosophy of science physicists physics platinum point of mercury point of water Pouillet pressure problem pyrometer pyrometry question reasons Regnault Royal Society scale scientists specialist science specific heat standard steam point supercooling superheating theoretical theory of heat thermal thermodynamic thermometric fluid thermometry thermoscope Thomson values vapor Wedgwood pyrometer zero